President Vjosa Osmani’s recent visits to municipalities in Kosovo, just days before the end of her presidential mandate, are being viewed as a political campaign. Her latest activities have sparked speculation that Osmani is preparing to re-enter the political race, either within the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) or through a new initiative, following her recent clashes with Vetëvendosje and Albin Kurti.
After failing to secure support for a second term as president, Osmani has begun a series of visits to municipalities in Kosovo, the latest being on March 22 in Podujevë. After the failure to elect a president through a decree, the head of state dissolved the tenth legislature. Her decree has currently been placed under an interim measure by the Constitutional Court, which is assessing its constitutionality.
KosovaPress also asked the Office of the President about the purpose of these visits, but it did not respond.
Political analyst Seb Bytyqi believes that, based on current indications, there are two possible scenarios for Osmani’s political future.
According to him, one path is a return to the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), while the other is the creation of a new initiative or political party. He warns that her return to politics, regardless of the form it takes, could lead to further fragmentation of the political scene.
“Based on the indications, there are two paths ahead. One is a return to the LDK and the other is the formation of another initiative or party. As it appears, some steps have already been taken in that direction and now we are waiting for the decision of the Constitutional Court, which will also determine the election calendar. This will either be within the structures of the LDK, or through another initiative, which, in any case, would mean a return to politics. This means there will be further fragmentation of the political scene,” he emphasized.
Osmani’s active return to political life is also seen by Shqipe Pantina, a member of the General Council of the Democratic League of Kosovo.
According to her, it would be natural for Osmani to return to the LDK, either directly or through a pre-election coalition with an initiative she may establish.
“Vjosa Osmani has started some activities that are not directly related to her work as president, which suggest that she will return to politics very soon. It seems that the most natural option, and in my judgment as well, is a return to her old party, either by returning directly to the LDK or by making an agreement if she attempts to form a new initiative of her own,” she said.
Pantina adds that the LDK should be open to Osmani’s return, despite their previous rift. She stresses that the responsibility for the split does not rest only with Osmani, since both sides, in her view, bore part of the blame. Recalling earlier cases of returns to the party, she notes that departures have often happened because of disagreements over the way the party was led rather than ideological issues.
According to Pantina, there is a general mood within the LDK in favor of Osmani’s return, although opposing voices also exist. She underlines that the party should show political maturity and readiness to accept her return to its ranks.
“I believe that the most natural thing would be for her to return directly to the LDK, and the LDK should keep its doors open to Vjosa Osmani. There has been a split, of course, a rift between her and the LDK, but I think both sides had their share of the blame. All the blame cannot be placed on Vjosa Osmani for leaving the LDK at a certain moment. On the other hand, for the LDK this would not be the first time that people who had initially left it because of disagreements, mainly not over ideology but more over the way the party was run, returned. Here we may recall, for example, the LDD, but also other individuals who in the past were closer to the LDK… The general mood is for her to return. Naturally, there are voices against it, but the LDK should be mature and open enough to accept Vjosa Osmani,” Pantina added.
Vjosa Osmani was expelled from the LDK in 2020 after she refused to vote for the downfall of the Kurti government. Following deep disagreements with the then LDK leadership, Osmani founded the Guxo List, which took part in the 2021 elections under the banner of the Vetëvendosje Movement.
Although Osmani had expressed willingness to seek a second term as president, she did not find support from the Vetëvendosje Movement, which holds the parliamentary majority in the Assembly.
